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About the Grant
$15,000 to support IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS (MAP 2007), a new taiko performance work of music, theater and choreography created by Michelle Fujii in collaboration with Japanese choreographer Shohei Kikuchi, and Portland Taiko artists working in ensemble.
About the Project
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS is a contemporary expression of taiko, choreography and theater, growing from roots in taiko and folk dance tradition. Michelle Fujii, Shohei Kikuchi, and Portland Taiko artists working in ensemble are creating the suite through a process of community-engaged dialogue and creative collaboration.
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS explores concepts of cultural identity and affinities among the children and grandchildren of the diaspora as they negotiate cultural change, and the intersection between traditional and contemporary culture. The project addresses questions such as: “How is culture and artistic expression both preserved and reshaped across generations? How do individuals rediscover their ‘roots’ and define ‘home’ when language, geography and other issues separate them from the traditions of their grandparents? How do artists working in traditional forms and in the ‘home country’ of an art form relate to and collaborate with contemporary artists from another generation and place?”
Related Websites
Portland Taiko
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Photo by Rich Iwasaki
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